I went to the LSRU. I saw several cars started up with the cars in gear. The cars would lurch forward from where he were parked or might have died in the walkway and the take off with a lurch when the engines fired. At least all of these had a driver inside. I was not so lucky. The car across the road from me was started from outside and it went across and hit my roadster, It climbed up on top of my front wheels and smashed the grill and tore off a headlight. I wish some effort was made to discourage random engine running and cruseing
So were these just random start with no people around? If so how was this happening? Any pics of the damage. Kevin LFD Inc.
WTF ! they're all supposed to be car guys right? so who starts a car without having it in neutral! ever since the hand-crank start you learn to put the car in neutral before attempting to start...(with a hand-crank you learn it pretty fast, or end up under your own car) Heck, most modern cars don't even start unless in neutral and with footbrake applied. guess i just answered my own cuestion, these rods are just not idiot-proof enough (or vice versa) LOL
Last year some ***hole dropped his bike of all things on a friends 55 Chevy put a large ding in the rear quarter
There's a handy little device called a neutral safety switch....maybe it's too complicated for some folks. Good luck getting your car taken care of.
I've just never understood the whole "no neutral safety" thing. Seems there is a whole group of rodders just philosophically opposed to them for some reason. I don't get it. NHRA requires em for drag cars. NSRA requires 'em for a safety sticker. Hell, my '52 Ford with Fordomatic had one from the factory, so it's not like they aren't "trad". I guess it's just too much for some to grasp the concept of the ignition wire routing through an extra switch.
Well that ****s... Thank the God's that your car WAS there to stop it though...you might have saved a human life by it being there. Buddy MUST be paying for the repairs...no other way out alive I'd say! With this "Rat Rod" mentality going around, I'm NOT surprised that someone wouldn't use a device with "safety" as part of its actual name. Just not MANLY, ya know!?!?
you dont need a neutral safety switch if you know how to drive a car.... step 1) enter vehicle step 2a)place foot on brake step 2b)place foot on clutch step 3)place key in ignition step 4)pump accelerator pedal once or twice step 5)twist key to start engine if you have an automatic and you park your car without putting it in park, your an idiot. if your car doesnt have park, neutral it with e-brake if you have a stick and you jump in and dont push the clutch when you crank it (without first making sure its in neutral and nothing is in front of you in case) then you are an even bigger idiot
Why didn't you give him a knuckle sandwich? That's a real traditional way to discourage stupid behavior.
It might be stupid, but I've done it before on accident as well... I was just lucky nothing was in front of me... Sorry to hear of your damage man.
Really ****s your car got smashed. No secret here as if you do the in gear start too many times you'll be replacing the Ring and Pinion soon >>>>.
agree 100%- I don't have one in my truck (automatic) but have yet to leave it out of park and start it. I'm sure since I chimed in it will happen soon.....
knuckle sandwich wont fix his car , but could get him satisfaction & a free stay in jail .. sorry about your car .................... steve
Wow man what a drag... so.. was he a man about it? or a dip ****? you left out the end of your story,the ending of a story is like the punch line in a joke, with out it its not over, or was that on purpose?..the suspence is like the guy who starts a project but never finishes it, whats up with that?
Saw pictures of the damage to your ride in another thread. That ****s. On a positive note you built one hell of a nice car and it looks like it beat the **** outta that coupe. Hope your all patched up soon.
Sorry to hear about the car, hope the guy has enough cash or insurance to pay for the damage to be fixed right. On accident in you own driveway is one thing but there are too many clowns who show up at shows all over the place who think they have to fire up the car and gun the engine a half dozen times every half hour on the half hour so everyone within a half mile will know that they have open headers or straight pipes. And a lot of them are in the habit of reaching in the window and firing the engine and then working the throttle with their hand under the hood. Cruising is great if the grounds are such that there is room and paths to cruise but most places are too crowded with cars and people for continuous cruising.
Was it a black 34 cpe with a 671 on top of the engine that ran into you.? I saw one there with his grille and radiator all screwed up...someone said he tried to start it with left foot out the door and it ran into a roadster.maybe yours?
I saw the pictures of your car in another thread, sorry to see the damage. Remember that even with a neutral safety switch things can go wrong. Remember Don Dillards accident at the Ego Rama? And like Ryan I too have bumped my car over before I got my foot on the clutch, distracted by some folks.
It takes a real lame-brain to start a motor unless he is sitting in the seat at the controls. I don't see anything wrong with getting out after it's started, with e-brake set and shifter in neutral. **** happens. Can't control everything.
Sorry, Take out the "It might be" and replace with "It is" and you've got it right . There is no good reason not to have a neutral safety switch in any car, period. When you witness a friend getting run over due to that fact, it will hit home. This is a simple straight forward safety issue that should not be left off of any build. Take the extra time and install one, sooner or later you will be happy that you did.
so...is there an ending to this story? I read your account of what happened, but there was nothing from the OP on exactly what has occured since then - did the guy do the right thing? Was he insured? Did you report this to the authorities? Did you give your insurance company HIS information/license number etc? Please fill us in - this is only half a story until you do so. tnx dj
Thanks to everone for the good wishes. I really appreciate it!! Yep, It was the black 34 with the blown big block. He is doing the right thing. His insurance people called today. I expect fun with the estimate. I will try to show them the prices of original nice parts. I checked the toe in and that is OK. it has a lot of s****es and a chunk out of one tire. I will put on another grill and shell, radiator, and other headlights untill I can get this stuff fixed. The driveline seems OK. It steers a little to the left now. Still checking on that. Box and shaft p***ed a stress test. I am just happy nobody was sandwiched. Could have been a stroller there.
Pictures in this thread. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=464907&highlight=accident
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